1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to windshield wiper lever assemblies. More particularly, the present invention relates to windshield wiper lever assemblies adapted to enable the driver to initiate a windshield wash and/or a windshield wipe.
2. Discussion of the Background
Automobiles commonly provide one or more functional levers that extend outwardly from the steering column. One well known functional lever operates the turn signals. In many instances, the levers are multifunctional. For instance, an automobile manufacturer may wish to combine the turn signal lever with the head light controls, such that pivoting the turn signal lever in one plane controls the turn signals, while moving the turn signal lever in another plane toggles the headlights between normal lighting and fog lighting.
Another well known multifunctional lever controls windshield wiping and cleaning. These levers typically enable the driver to turn the front and/or rear windshield wipers on as well as to set the speed of one or both of the front and rear windshield wipers. The levers also typically enable the driver to operate the front and/or rear window wash alone or in combination with the wipers. Since, in many instances, the driver will be operating the wipers and the wash in bad driving conditions, an important feature of the windshield wiper lever is that it be fully operable with one hand and without requiring the driver to observe the lever.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic sectional view illustrates that a known multifunctional wiper lever assembly 10 includes a rotating device or knob 12 that an automobile driver can manually rotate and translate. The knob 12 is manually translationally moveable along the center of the section (i.e., into or out of the page), whereby a portion of the knob 12 linearly engages a contact slide 14 and translates the slide over a printed circuit board (xe2x80x9cPCBxe2x80x9d) 16 having conductive traces. The slide 14 has a conductive member, which touches or electrically connects to a plurality of traces of the PCB 16 to thereby initiate an automobile function.
Rotating the known wiper lever assembly 10 initiates a plurality of additional automobile functions, such as setting various wiper speed settings, via electrical connections created by a contact slide and a PCB as previously described. If the electrical connection is a maintained or latching type, i.e., does not return to a starting position upon the driver""s release of the knob 12, the assembly 10 must have the ability to provide tactile feedback to the driver to inform the driver when a particular electrical connection, e.g., a particular wiper speed has been set.
Until now, the known assembly has required an additional detent plunger 18 and an additional detent spring 20. The detent spring 20 is compressed between the plunger 18 and a surface 22 that is fixed with respect to the assembly 10. The detent spring 20 thereby applies a constant compressive force to the plunger 18, so that the plunger xe2x80x9cridesxe2x80x9d along the dynamic profile created by the plurality of inwardly radially spaced detents 24, which are defined by an inner wall 26 of the knob 12. That is, when the driver turns the knob 12 clockwise or counterclockwise, as illustrated, the plunger 18 moves radially inward or outward along the detent profile. The driver preferably feels a tactile xe2x80x9cclickxe2x80x9d when the plunger 18 xe2x80x9cbottoms outxe2x80x9d or engages the bottom or valley of one of the radially disposed detents 24, which corresponds to a simultaneous electrical connection taking place in the assembly 10, so that the driver knows that a particular function has been set.
While the known wiper lever assembly provides adequate tactile feedback to the driver, the known assembly 10 requires the additional detent plunger 18, spring 20 and radially disposed detents. The additional plunger 18 and spring 20: (i) add cost to the wiper lever; (ii) complicate the necessary design and tooling; and (iii) complicate the assembly process. Original equipment manufacturers (xe2x80x9cOEM""sxe2x80x9d) are the primary users of wiper levers. Maintaining the same functionality at even a small decrease in cost provides a substantial benefit to the OEM""s. Accordingly, a need exists to provide a lower cost wiper lever.
The present invention provides an improved steering column lever assembly. More specifically, the present invention provides an improved windshield wiper lever, wherein a single contact slide operates both as a contact element and as a detent plunger, enabling both wiper wash and wipe functions.
To this end, in an embodiment of the present invention, a steering column lever comprises: (i) a hollow knob having an inner wall that defines a plurality of axially disposed detents; (ii) a first slide adapted for translational movement having a cam at one end adapted to engage one of the detents; and (iii) a substrate supporting translational movement of the first slide, the substrate having a trace adapted to engage a conductive member of a second slide to form an electrical connection, wherein one of the detents maintains the electrical connection.
In an alternative of this embodiment, the first slide includes a conductive member and the substrate includes a trace adapted to engage the conductive member of the first slide. In one alternative of this embodiment, an electrical connection between the conductive member of the first slide and its associated trace initiates a windshield wash. In another, an electrical connection between the conductive member of the first slide and its associated trace is formed by translating at least a portion of the knob.
In one alternative of this embodiment, the electrical connection created by the second slide initiates a windshield wipe. In another, the electrical connection created by the second slide is formed by rotating at least a portion of the knob.
In an alternative of this embodiment, one detent receives the cam at a different axial position than another detent. An alternative of this embodiment includes a spring contacting the knob, the spring adapted to oppose manual translational movement of the knob. In an alternative of this embodiment, a detent is a notch in the inner wall having a shape adapted to provide a predetermined resistance to rotational movement of the knob.
An alternative of this embodiment includes a spring contacting the first slide at an end opposite the cam, the spring adapted to compress the cam into the detents of the knob. In one alternative of this embodiment, the spring has a characteristic spring constant adapted to provide a predetermined resistance to rotational movement of the knob. In another, the spring is compressed upon assembly so as to provide a predetermined resistance to rotational movement of the knob. In a further, the cam has a shape adapted to provide a predetermined resistance to rotational movement of the knob.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a steering column lever comprises: (i) a hollow knob having an inner wall that defines a plurality of axially disposed detents; (ii) a first slide adapted for translational movement having a cam at one end adapted to engage one of the detents; and (iii) a substrate supporting translational movement of the first slide, the substrate having a trace adapted to engage a conductive member of a second slide to form an electrical connection, wherein one of the detents provides tactile feedback for the electrical connection.
In an alternative of this embodiment, the substrate has a plurality of traces adapted to individually engage the conductive member of the second slide to form a plurality of individual electrical connections. In another, a particular detent provides tactile feedback for one of the electrical connections. In a further, a particular electrical connection is created by rotating the knob such that the cam engages a particular detent.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, a hollow knob for engaging a cam end of a slide contained in a windshield wiper lever comprises: (i) an opening on one end of the knob for receiving the slide; and (ii) an inner wall that defines an inner radius and an outer radius of a detent ring, wherein the detent ring includes a plurality of axially disposed detents that face the opening.
In an alternative of this embodiment, a detent is a notch in the detent ring having a shape adapted to provide a predetermined resistance to rotational movement of the knob. In another, one detent receives the slide at a different axial distance than another does another detent.
An advantage of the present invention is to provide an improved windshield wiper lever assembly.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an improved detent structure inside the knob for engaging the contact slide.